Aldermen meet post-election

The Board of Aldermen held its first meeting following Tuesday’s election on Thursday night.

Though six new members were elected to the Board on Tuesday, the Board elected in 2011 will continue to meet through Jan. 1. The Board discussed the sale of the Shubert Theater and the allocation of funds to offer part-time help for student interns and repair homes built with lead paint.

Board President and Ward 5 Alderman Jorge Perez, who presided over the meeting, made no mention of Tuesday’s election on the makeup of his board.

The most prominent issue discussed was the transfer of ownership of the Shubert Theater, which is currently owned by the city, to the Connecticut Association of the Performing Arts (CAPA), a nonprofit organization. The Board unanimously approved the transfer, with an amendment giving the city the right to take over the theater if they disagree with CAPA’s management.

The transfer of ownership will save the city $5 million in financing the repair of the theater, though the city will still have to pay $2.4 million for the repair. John Fisher, the vice president and executive director of the Shubert said the transfer will allow the theater to raise funds from sources that they might not have been able to tap into otherwise.

In addition to the Shubert’s ownership transfer, the Board voted on several other initiatives on Thursday, including the approval of $28,000 in funds to pay interns part-time in the city and a $205,000 grant to repair homes that contain lead paint. Ward 14 Alderman Santiago Berrios-Bones said that many houses in New Haven have problems with lead paint, and that he expects this money will help address this issue.

After the meeting, Perez told the News that, though six new members will join the board, he thinks the ideological makeup will largely stay the same.

“There are some new people with different styles, which may make it a little lively,” Perez said. “But, at the end of the day, all 30 are Democrats, which means they all have some basic principles … I don’t foresee any major philosophical battles.”

As the newly elected Board has not yet met, Perez could not speak with certainty about their agenda. Still, he said he imagines it will continue many of the initiatives his Board began, dealing with public safety, youth services and economic development.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Sarah Eidelson ’12, who was re-elected to her seat on Tuesday over Republican Paul Chandler ’14, said she is excited to continue her work as Alderwoman. She hopes to continue her involvement in the Youth Services Committee, which she currently chairs.

“We have a range of projects under way and that will, I hope, take major strides forward in the coming weeks and months and years,” she said.

She added that meetings coming up in the next month will focus on various aspects of the Comprehensive Youth Agenda, such as converting the Goffe Street Armory into a community space and reopening the Q House, among others.

The next Board of Aldermen meeting will take place on Monday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in City Hall.